Phototypographic rotogravure character slug



June 23, I925 R. J. SMOTHERS PHOTO'I'YPO'GRAPHIC noroemvuns CHARACTERsLuc Filed July 2, 1924 Patented June 23, 1925.

UNITED STA TES' ROBERT JARVIS SMOTHERS, OF HOLYOKE,

PATENT OFFICE.

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES '1. ROBINSON, OF HOLYOKIE,MASSACHUSETTS.

Application filed July 2,

To all whom'it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'ROBERT JARVIS Sino'rHEus, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Holyoke, in the county of 'Hampden and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPhototypographic Rotogravure Character Slugs, of which the following isa specificaner with respect to the object carried there-' by to providefor the photographing of such object on a sensitized surface opposingthe slug.

The body portion of a slug, in accordance with this invention, otherthan the providing of the object thereon to b'e'photographed, and themeans for the passage of the light rays, referably is identical inconstruction with t e body portion of matrices employed in theWell-known linotype machines, and by such arrangement it provides forslugs in accordance with this invention, to be aligned and disassembledin the samemanneras is now carried out with respect to the matricesemployed in the machines aforesaid.

A phototypographic character slug, in accordance with this invention, isconstructed to provide for its use in the production of a rotogravureplate and the object forming,

an element of the slug is provided throughout with spaced dots toprovide, when the object is photographed, a negative which is dottedthroughout so that when the rotogravure plate is finished, it will beprovided with its or wells to hold the ink during the printingoperation, and by this arran ement it overcomes the interpositioning o a1924. Serial No. 723,788.

screen between a photographic positive and the plate body whenphotographing the design on the plate body and which is subsequentlyetched.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth a phototypographic rotogravure character slug forthe purpose referred to, which is simple in its construction andarrangement, strong, durable, compact, thoroughly effident in its use,and comparatively'inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists ofthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, ashereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention,but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modificationscan be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereuntoappended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote correspondingparts throughout the several views Figurel is a front elevation of aseries of aligned slugs, in accordance with this in-' vention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are side elevations of a slug in accordance with thisinvention, Figure 3 looking towards one side and Figure 4 towards theother side of the slug.

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a carrier provided with apair of objects.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 of a modified form of carrier.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 denotes the body portion of theslug, which is constructed of metallic material, and other than ashereinafter stated, is constructed in the same manner as the matricesemployed in the well-known forms of linotype inachines. As isWell-known, a matrix of the type employed in linotype machines has itsfront edge provided with a pair of notches, suitably spaced. from eachother and with the base of each notch countersunk to form the outline ofa letter, but one of the letters is of a diti'erent st vlc or type i ithrespect to the other. To provide for the utiliza ion of this well-knowntype of matrix in a typographic machine, the front edge ot' the bodyportion of the slug, which is notched, is cut out intermediate its aidsto extend slightly beyond ach of such notches and to a substantialdepth, or in other words, the body portion 1 in lieu oi having its frontedge formed with the said notches, is cut array to provide atransversely extending groove having a segment-shaped bottom 2 and apair of oppositely inclined side walls I}. l, which extend towards eachother, or in other words, the side walls 3, :l, are under-cut in amanner so that the ends of the bottom 2 will extend beyond the outerends of the side walls 3, l. The bottom 2 is of materiall v greaterlength than the length oi the side walls and the groove formed in thefront edge of the body portion 1 is disposed cent ally with respect tosaid edge. That edge of the body portion 1, which is grooved, isindicated a Each side face 01 the body portion 1 is termed with a seriesof serui-oval shaped spaced grooves, prefer: bl v three in number, andthe grooves on one side face are indirated at 6, and the grooves on the.other side :tace are indicated at T. The grooves ti and T extend fromthe rear edge (1 of the body portion 1 and terminate in the groovetermed in the front edge 5 of the body portion 1.

Snug'lv fitting the walls of the groove, in the front edge 5, a carrier8, provided with a. pair of spaced objects 9, 10, of ditiei ent design.The carrier 8 has a tlat outer edt a pair of flat sides, asegment-shaped inner edge and a pair of bevelled end edges. Theunder-cut side walls 3, l, of the groove in the end edge 5 overlap theend edges of the carrier 8 and maintain the latter in position in thebod portion 1. The carrier S is flush with the sides of the body poi-ton1, as well as the front edge thereof. The curved edge of the carrier 8extends across the ends of the grooves G and 7, which open into thegroove Formed in the end edge 5 of the bod portion 1. The grooves (i andT provide mean v for directing the light ra s to the carrier 8.

Then the slugs are set up in abutting; relation in a manner as shown in.lfie'ure 2. the grooves T of one slug register with the grooves (5 olan adjacent slug. thereby providing oval-shaped passages 11. which conduct the light ra vs to the "arrier 8.

Although the carrier 8 is shown as provided v'ith a pair of objects 9.l0, suitably spaced from each other, vet it is obvious that the carrier8 can be provided with but a single object. The object on the carriermay be opaque or transparent. ln l igure 5, the object shown is similarto that iilustrated in Figure 1 and is opaque, but in Figure 6, theobject which is indicated a, 1-1, is tral'lsparent and formed throughoutwith spaced dots as at 11. The outer end edge 15 of the carrier 16opaque. That part of the carrier 16 other than the outer edge 15 istransparent.

The curved inner edge of the carrie: provides for the ditlusion oi thelig'h when leaving the grooves ti and T, or passages 11.

When the ships are employed 101 photographically printing on asensitized trt'ace, the light ra s are projected through the grooves Gand T or passages 11, from the r ar end thereof. The sens ized surt'arcopposes the front of the slugs. When the slugs are set up in grouped oraligned arrangement, as shown in Figures 1 and i., but one series 0taligned olriects is photo graphed, or in other words, the upper or thelower series of aligned objects is photo graphed depending on what styleof letter. digit. character, or figure is desired.

\Vhen the aligned dotted objects are photographed upon a sensitizalsurface. a negative is produced provided throughout with dots and theselatter are utilized to form pits or wells in the makingof a roto pravure plate to hold the ink during the printing operation, and by the.use of such construction of slugs stippling is dispensed with. as wellas the interposition ol" a screen between a photographic 'iosit-ive andthe plate body or carbon tissue when photographing on either.

Although the drawings show the objects in the form of letters, yet it isto be understood that the objects can be a digit, word. design or figureor other character.

The slugs are aligned in the same manner as matrices in linot'vpemachines, and the body portion of the slug is set. up to provide for theshifting of the. same to and from operative position and such positionbeing: when the slug is arranged wherebv the object carried thereby canbe photogrraphi rally printed upon a sensitized surface. therefore, thebodv of each of the slugs has means to enablev the body portion to bemoved to and from operative posit ion.

It is thought that the man advautageof a slug: in accordance with thisinvention, for use in connection with a phototvpographic machine an ber-aulilv understood. and although the preferred emlnalinr it ot theinvention is as illustrated and described. vet it is to be understoodthat. changes in the details of construction can be had which will fallwithin the scope of the. invention as claimed.

\Vhat I claim is:-

1. A phototypogl'apliic I'Oi'OQIHYIHt character slugicomprising a bodyportion haviue a front edge, a carrier seated in said from edge andhaving its outer edge provided witha dotted object to be photographed,and

said body portion provided with means for directing light raysto saidcarrier to provide for the printing of the dotted object on a sensitizedsurface opposing the object.

2. A phototypographic rotogravure character slug comprising a bodyportion having a front'edge, a carrier seated in said front edge andhaving its outer edge provided with a dotted object to be hotographed,and said body portion provi ed with means for directing light rays tosaid carrier to. provide for the printing of the dotted object on asensitized surface opposing the object, said carrier having its inneredge curved to diffuse the light rays directed thereto.

3. A phototypographic rotogravure character slug comprising a bodyortionhaving a front edge, a carrier seate in said front edge and having itsouter edge provided with a dotted object to be photographed, and saidbody portion provided with means for directing light rays to saidcarrier to provide for. the printing of the dotted object on asensitized surface opposing the object, the said means arranged on eachside of said body portion and extending from the rear edge thereof.

4; A phototypographic rotogravure character slug comprising a bodyportion provided with means to permit of the shifting of it to and fromoperative position, a carrier mounted in the front of said body portionand provided on its outer edge with a dotted object, said object andcarrier constructed to provide for the action of light rays tophotographically rint the dotted object upon a sensitized sur aceopposing the front of said body portion, and said body portion providedwith means for directing light rays to said carrier.

5. A phototypographic rotogravure character slug comprising a bodyportion pro: vided with means to permit of the shifting of it to andfrom operative position, a carrier mounted in the front of said bodyportion and provided on its outer edge with a dotted object, said objectand carrier constructed to provide for the action of light rays tophotographically print the dotted object upon a sensitized surfaceopposing the front of said body portion, and said body portion providedwith means for directing light rays to said carrier, said means fordirecting light rays to the carrier arranged on each side of the bodyportion.

6. A phototypographic rotogravure char acter slug comprising a bodyportion provided with means to permit of shifting it to and fromoperative position, a transparent carrier mounted in the front of saidbody portion and provided with an opaque object dotted throughout. andsaid carrier provided with means for directing light rays to saidcarrier to provide for the photographicprinting of the dotted object ona sensitized surface opposing said body portion. v e

7. I it phototypographic rotogravurc character slug comprising a'bodyportion provided with means to permit of shifting it to and fromoperative position, a transparent carrier mounted in the front-ofsaid'body portion and provided withan opaque object dotted throughout,and said carrier providedwith means for directing light rays to saidcarrierto provide for the photographic printing of the dotted object ona sensitized surface opposing said body portion, said carrier having acurved inner edge to provide for the diffusion of lightrays directedthereto by said means.

8. A phototypographic rotogravure characterslug comprising a bodyportion having its front edge formed with a: transverse groove, thebottom ofsaid groove being segment-shaped in contour and the side wallsunder-cut, a carrier conforming in contour to the shape of said groove,seated therein and having its outer edge flush with the front edge ofsaid body portion, said carrier further provided on its outer edge witha dotted object, said object and carrier constructed to provide for theaction of light rays to photographically print said dotted object upon asensitized surface opposing the front of said body portion, and saidbody portion having its sides provided with means extending from therear edge thereof to said transverse groove for directing light rays tosaid carrier.

9. A phototypographic rotogravu-re character slug comprising a bodyportion provided with means to permit of the shifting thereof to andfrom operative position, a transparent segment-shaped carrier mounted inthe front of said body portion and having its outer edge flush with thefront edge of the body portion, said carrier provided with an opaqueobject dotted throughout, and said body portion having each of its sidefaces grooved, the grooves in said side faces extending from the rearedge of the body portion and terminating at the inner edge of saidcarrier and providing means for directing light rays thereto tophotographically print said dotted object on a sensitized surfaceopposing the front edge of said body portion.

10. A phototypographic rotogravure character slug comprising a bodyportion corresponding in contour to the contour of the body of alinotype machine matrix and further having its side faces provided withtransversely extending grooves and its front with a transverselyextending groove into which open the grooves on the side faces of saidbody, a carrier secured within the groove at the front of said body andextending across the inner ends of the grooves on the side faces of thebody said carrier having its outer edge provided with a dotted objectforming means, and said carrier and dotted object forming meansconstructed to provide for the action of light rays thereon conductedthrough the grooved side faces of said body to provide for thephotographing of said dotted object forming means on a sensitizedsurface.

11,. A phototypographic rotogravure character slug comprising a bodyportion, a carrier mounted in the front thereof and pro vided with adotted object to be photographed, said carrier and said dotted objectconstructed to provide for the action of light rays on the dotted objectto photograph the same on a sensitized surface opposing the front ofsaid body portion, and said body portion provided with means fordirecting light rays towards the carrier for photographing said dottedobject.

12. A phototypographic rotogravure character slug comprising a bodyportion in the form of a linotype machine matrix, a carrier seated inthe front of said body and pro- Yided with a dotted object forming meansto be photographed upon a sensitized surface, and said body portionprovided with means for directing light rays to said carrier for theaction of light rays to photograph the dotted object upon a sensitizedsurface opposing the front of said body portion.

13. A phototypographic rotogravure character slug comprising atransparent carrier provided with means to form pits or wells in arotogravure plate.

ll. A phototypographic rotogravm'e character slug comprising asegn'iental transparent carrier provided with means to form pits orwells in a rotogravure plate.

15. A phototypographie rotogravure character slug comprising a bodyportion in the form of a linotype machine matrix, a carrier seated inthe front of said body and provided with means to form pits or wells ina rotogravure plate.

In testimony whereof, I allix my signature hereto.

ROBERT J ARVIS SMOTHERS.

